Rapa Nui
rapa nui 1.jpg rapa nui 2.jpg rapa nui 3.jpg rapa nui 4.jpg rapa nui 5.jpg Introduction Easter Island or Rapa Nui is the Southeastern most island in the Polynesian triangle, it was annexed by Chile in 1888. Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai. The island is approximately 24.6 kilometres long by 12.3 kilometres at its widest point—its overall shape has been described as a triangle. It has an area of 163.6 square kilometres, with a maximum altitude of 507 meters. There are three Rano (freshwater crater lakes), at Rano Kau, Rano Raraku and Rano Aroi, near the summit of Terevaka, but no permanent streams or rivers. Location 27°7′S 109°22′W Easter Island is one of the world's most isolated inhabited islands. Its closest inhabited neighbor is Pitcairn Island, 2075 kilometres to the West, with fewer than a hundred inhabitants. Easter Island's latitude is close to that of Caldera, Chile, and lies 3510 kilometres west of continental Chile at its nearest point (between Lota and Lebu). Isla Salas y Gómez, 415 kilometres to the east, is closer but is uninhabited. Things to Do The biggest tourist attractions on Easter Island are, of course, the Moai. Please note that the Moai are archaeological features and should be treated with care as they are far more fragile than they seem. Often Moai will be placed upon ceremonial platforms and burials called Ahu. Do not walk on the Ahu as it is an extremely disrespectful gesture. Even if you see others walking on the Ahu do not do so yourself. All of the sites, which can be visited for free, are mostly found along the coastline of the island. First time vistors may be struck by how many archaelogical sites there are around the island, where you can be virtually alone as the only people visiting. Each village typically had an ahu if not several moai, and thus on a drive around the south coast of the island, every mile contains several sites where you might see ruins. Two exceptional sites are the volcanic craters of Rano Kau and Rano Raraku. The slightly inland quarry at "Rano Raraku" is where the moai carvings were born, out of the hillside of the volcanic rock where hundreds of laborers must have carved full-time. This 100 metre volcano remnant provided the stones for the great figures and is where a visitor can see various stages of the carving, as well as scattered partially-finished figures. A climb to the left side of the crater, over the top, and into the bowl, is well worth it. Hiking to the opposite lip of the crater, where the most moai are found, is one of the most dramatic sites on the island. Similarly, Rano Kau is the remains of a volcanic cinder cone, which like Rano Raraku, is filled with fresh rainwater and has a mottled unearthly appearance that is breathtaking. The entry fee is 60 US dollars total for the two sites. Make sure you keep your ticket. Weather The climate of Easter Island is subtropical maritime. The lowest temperatures are registered in July and August (18 °C) and the highest in February (28 °C), the summer season in the southern hemisphere. Winters are relatively mild. The rainiest month is April, though the island experiences year-round rainfall. Easter Island's isolated location exposes it to winds which help to keep the temperature fairly cool. Precipitation averages 1118 millimetres per year. Occasionally, heavy rainfall and rainstorms strike the island. These occur mostly in the winter months (June–August). Getting There & Away Flights to Mataveri International Airport on Rapa Nui are served exclusively by LAN Airlines. The most common flight is the 5 and a half hour flight from Santiago, which flies six days a week. The airline has also introduced twice-weekly flights from Lima, Peru, but it has been temporarily halted. There is also a once a week flight from Santiago to Tahiti on Wednesday that transits at Rapa Nui, and makes the return flight on Thursday. Accommodation Top of the line is Explora's Posada de Mike Rapu, but the Hotel Altiplánico Rapa Nui is not shabby either. Taha Tai, Manutara and Iorana are other options. Category:Rapa Nui Category:Chile